


Small Plastic Orbs

by millionstar



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-29
Updated: 2013-01-29
Packaged: 2017-11-27 09:00:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/660169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/millionstar/pseuds/millionstar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What do you mean it's not proper for two grown men to fight in the McDonald's playland?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Small Plastic Orbs

"Uncle _Mer_ lin!"

Merlin sighed, unsure as to precisely why he thought he could get any work done on his laptop in the McDonald's play land. He looked up from the beginnings of his latest article and smiled at his niece Lia. "What's up, petal?"

"He on't let me play in the ball pit!" Lia pouted, pointing to a dark haired boy which looked to be about the same age as Lia, around five or six. "He's a big stupid meanie butt!"

Merlin tried not to laugh at Lia's outburst; if Freya and Elyan could hear their little girl's comment they would be horrified. "Hey, your mum and dad wouldn't like you talking like that, yeah? Let's go talk to him, I'm sure he'll let you play if we ask him nicely." Lia took one last sip of her Sprite, grabbed a french fry and nodded. Merlin shut his laptop and, taking Lia's hand, headed for the ball pit.

"Uncle ARTHUR!" the little boy yelled as he watched them approach, "where are you?"

An exasperated looking blond in an expensive looking suit (who also, much to Merlin's interest, was the owner of one of the finest arses he'd seen in a long time) turned around and finished his phone call, shoving his mobile into his pocket. "What's wrong, Marty?" 

Merlin smiled. "My niece here wants to play in the ball pit but, erm, Marty, is it, he won't let her come inside."

"It’s my castle and girls aren't allowed," Marty announced with a smirk, "isn't that right, Uncle Arthur? Cos girls are poopy heads!"

Arthur ran his hands through his thick blond hair and exhaled loudly. "Look, he can be a handful, can't you just let him have the ball pit for a few more minutes? It won‘t kill her to wait."

Merlin was perplexed and also a little angry. "Sounds like little Marty here isn't used to being told no.”

Arthur smiled through gritted teeth. He’d tried to do his sister a favor on a day that he was desperately busy and now some idiot with massive ears (and uncommonly gorgeous blue eyes) was getting in his face over nothing. “Or maybe, just _maybe_ , your niece is the one who needs to learn _her_ place. Perhaps she really _is_ a poopy head.”

“Are you serious? You really are a special snowflake, aren’t you?”

"Excuse me?" Arthur replied, narrowing his eyes, then taking a sip of his chocolate milkshake. "Who the fuck are _you_?"

"I'm someone with manners, which is more than I can say for you or your menace of an nephew," Merlin shot back, crossing his arms. Neither of them noticed that Marty and Lia had suddenly crossed over to the other side of the playland, now laughing as they compared each others' Happy Meal toys.

"If it‘s _balls_ you want," Arthur said calmly, "here you go, have fun, douchenozzle." Before Merlin could react, Arthur's hands were firmly on his waist, shoving Merlin into the ball pit. Arthur's motions were a bit clumsy, though, and he found himself tripping and falling into the mass of colored balls and Merlin's arms. 

“You fucking arse!” Merlin gasped, the two of them wrestling roughly in a mass of primary colored balls that flew through the air. Lia and Marty had dropped their toys and were watching their uncles, mouths open in shock. Marty began to chant “Fight! Fight”, and Lia, as well as the few other children in the play land soon joined in. 

Arthur buried his hands in Merlin’s thick hair and pulled, Merlin whooping victoriously as he managed to flip Arthur and press him down into the tarpaulin.

“Arrogant dick,” Arthur seethed, Merlin’s legs now firmly holding him in place. 

“Apologize.”

Arthur didn’t reply straightaway, instead he simply stared into Merlin’s eyes, Merlin suddenly feeling much warmer than he had when he had decided to take Lia to McDonald’s for a quick lunch only a few minutes earlier. Arthur licked his lips and his eyes studied Merlin’s mouth, Merlin flushing as his trousers began to tighten. 

“I-”

“I’m afraid you’ll both have to come with me,” a stern voice boomed out, shaking them from their reverie.

(One hour later)

Merlin and Arthur sat next to each other in the police station, heads hung in shame.

“Really, Arthur,” Morgana exclaimed, “I ask you to watch him for _two hours_ and you end up here for disturbing the peace?”

“I got to ride in the police car!” Marty said excitedly, he and Lia playing with a stapler on the arresting officer‘s desk.

Merlin smirked.

“Oh no you don’t,” Freya warned, arms crossed, “don’t you sit there and smirk, Merlin. It’s not funny.” Elyan seemed to think differently, however, for he burst out in laughter, his wife glaring at him.

“Freya, it’s extremely funny, come on. Of all the people who could be arrested for getting into a fight at the McDonald’s play land, would you ever, in a million years, have thought it would be _Merlin_?”

“They’re both lucky no charges will be pressed,” Morgana commented.

“It was dumb luck that cop happened to stop in for a McFlurry, anyway,” Merlin grumbled. “I mean, really, he should have been out making sure an old lady’s purse wasn’t being snatched or something.” 

“Ooh, I love McFlurrys, the Oreo ones are ace,” Arthur replied, rolling his eyes when everyone stared at him. “Well, they _are_.”

Once the paperwork was completed and they were free to go, Merlin and Arthur found themselves standing alone outside the police barracks. Freya, Elyan and Morgana had taken their little ones and departed minutes earlier. 

“So,” Arthur began.

“So.” 

“I should get back to the office.”

“When do you get off?” Merlin asked, Arthur raising an amused eyebrow at him. “Shit, I meant, oh you know what I meant,” he flushed.

"I should be finished by six or so.

“Good. Let me buy you a McFlurry?”

"Yeah?” Arthur teased. “Will there be ballplay?"

Merlin grinned. "If we‘re lucky, yes."


End file.
